Joey Kaylor

Wow. that is all i can say.

The day that a tech can spend time fixing a vehicle instead of their own time trying to figure out how they will get paid for it will be a beautiful, yet non-existent, day. It just goes to prove that FR techs are very creative, no matter what lol.

these will be interesting, it seems that everyone is going to reverse flows now. BMW, GM, etc. Any other info on these engines out yet?

nah, it was kinda funny. we were in KC for VISION, and he was riding with us to go to an overpriced shitty barbecue joint down the road. It was kind of a semi-unorganized meeting, but there were several dudes there that we wanted to hang with, so we all went. Basically a meeting of iATNers with some alcohol. Needless to say...by the end of the night there were a few fights about to break out LOL. This year will be better, cause from what I have gathered we aint gonna go to that chain again /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/puke.gif and....i'm gonna bring a half gallon of bootleg to get everyone going BEFORE we go to a $6/beer bar. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

I was wondering when that pic would come out....

Some of ya know, some of ya dont. We have been building a new facility about a mile from the old one, mainly due to not enough space for expansion. Its been a hell of an uphill battle, and this clusterfuck of a "financial crisis" sure as fuck didnt help anything with our bank, but we should be in an operational at the first of the year, one year behind schedule. Nothing too special, 7200 sq ft shop, six auto bays and 2 truck/equipment bays. a Flush mount alignment rack (1" of ground clearance is all that is needed with it). all above ground lifts are inground units, with no posts above ground to hit There is a spray/blast booth going in the back for the resto side of things next year, and I gotta cut my expensive slab of concrete for the dyno next weekend. I got an eddy current unit that is specifically tailored to driveability tuning and heavy loading, but we will be doing speedo calibration after the certifications are done through the state. we started last august, getting 12000 yards of fill done and grading taken care of: As of yesterday: The photobucket link to those that have an hour to kill and look at the pics: http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm119/fc735/Shop%20pics/

This is one reason why there is heavy animosity between dealers and indies, IMO. There are so many shops out there that feel they do not have to stay on top of tooling and training, and can simply call the dealer and ask them something. I dont care how much parts I buy from someone, I NEVER use that to get info or tools. If I am working on a car for a customer, they are paying me for knowledge and experience. If I am asking someone else to help or loan a tool to do the job, I am basically stealing from my customer in my eyes. You know how many special tools I buy for one job, only to likely never use them again? I have literally hundreds of service sets that were purchased for one job and sit idle, but you never know if you need them later or not so I keep them. I used to have the ideology that if I needed to borrow a tool twice, I was buying it, but have since changed to if I need it to do the job in an effective manner, I am purchasing it. It is required to perform my duties as a professional auto repair shop, so it is a cost of doing business. If I do not purchase something required to do my job, I am not serious about what I do and need to find another profession. The first 3v tune up I did was due to a blown injector (go figure....) and I had a shell break off in the head. It was 3oclock on a Friday, and I had heard of this problem before through iATN and others (truck was only about 9 months old at the time if I recall, and had to be back in service on Sat due to being a work truck). So, I improvised and made the removal tool and got the truck back on the road. I purchased the Rotunda kit the next week, but to be honest I have used my homemade one more than it /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif . I get calls all the time from people that range from other shops in the area, to the standard BYB (back yard bob) mechanics asking for how to do something or to borrow a tool. You can likely guess the response they get LOL. The shops have realized its not worth calling, they just bring it over and have use fix it. The customers have pretty much realized in the last two years that there is a reason they only charge 45 bucks an hour, and have started coming to us for most work. I dislike people that try to get around the fact that it costs money to have equipment and tools to properly repair vehicles, and they do not realize they are the ones being hurt by their stupidity. The customers are also, but mainly them.

asshole. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

a Milwaukee Hole Hawg will take them loose and rip them out well. Just make sure you got a big dude on the trigger, cause it will fuck you up. I have been thrown off a ladder using it to cut 6" holes in walls to blow insulation in before. I am 6'3, 285lbs and it caught a nail and spun me off the ladder like it was nothing. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shocked.gif but dammit they got some mother fucking torque! I have one in my toolbox, with an adapter I made to go to 1/2" drive. it works like a charm on the body bolts.

also...I kick myself for not realizing what one customer was doing before I got married to my wife. There are plenty of divorcees that will graciously tip you for fixing their cars, if ya know what I mean /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif they tip in other ways...but usually you gotta give a little "tip" /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

Being an Evil Shop Owner, I get to deal with the ungrateful customers all day long. But, when one is happy (which actually happens most of the time, unlike other places around here lol) they generally make it a point to express their gratitude. Tips range anywhere from a few bucks slipped into my pocket, to a case of beer (I get that at least once a week, at one point the shop fridge was full of Buttwiper, I cannot stand that heartburn liquid but I took it anyway to make the customer happy). We have one customer that will bring me in some bootleg, usually a quart at a time. it makes the day go by SOOO much better /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif My rule is to decline once. And every single customer tells me to take it again, so there it goes. We try to be as polite and discrete as possible also. One thing I have learned growing up in this small town: everyone knows what goes on, regardless if you want it known or not. So, we strive for satisfaction and the customers show their appreciation. We also throw a customer appreciation dinner every year, inviting select customers (generally if they spent over a grand, I call them personally and invite, then I make a general blanket invitation to customers that come in the week prior) and treating them to a catered meal with a band. This year will be the first in the new building, so we are literally inviting our entire customer list of 1300 people. We should have about 400 show up, and we are roasting a few pigs, along with a shitload of other food. and we got two bands this year. Last year, I had customers buying us all drinks, and we got completely trashed at the bar! If I go out with my wife, and meet a customer (which usually happens) they generally will offer to do something. also...try to get to be good friends with local bar and rest. owners. I forget how long its been since I paid for a meal or drinks! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

Does this mean the F650's are going out of production? or are they not made by western star?

Kinda, this one was done by Ford Motor Credit, since it was a dealer shut down due to ma$$ive money owed LOL. The one in Madison is a owner shut down, so that stuff will likely be done by the owners. There is one in Vinton VA next sat, but all the parts inventory is already sent back to Ford, and the tooling is mainly old shop equipment, the SST's and scan tooling was sold to another dealer locally.

This one was from Taylorsville Ford, but Madison was shut down last month by Ford also.

Aight, I am finally unpacking the stuff I got last weekend at a defunct dealer from NC. So far: Star I Star II 014-00950 104 pin BOB /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif T96P-1000A adapter set for BOB 007-0057 60P to MECS adapter 007-0058 60P to MECS adapter 007-00059 EDIS diag harness 007-00021 EEC-IV monitor recorder EEC-IV monitor 007-00044 DIS harness 007-00115 4WABS adapter EEC Monitor pressure/vac. kit 007-00097 TFI-IV diag cable Also managed to cop out with a VCM with a bad USB cable, a VMM COMPLETE with all cabling and box, a VDR, and cabling. The dude that bought the whole shitinmatch of toughbook and all didnt want the other stuff, just wanted the computer. So I made him a nice little offer and wound up driving back down to get it. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif any of it somewhat useable anymore? I am pretty sure most of the adapter cables are to be used with the SBDS or WDS, right? BTW...the SBDS sold for 1800 clams, and the WDS sold for 2400. and no one even looked in the cabinet for the IDS! There was an entire room sold as one lot for most of the SST's, but I just did not have the cash to spare to buy it as one lot. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif